I feel rather stupid about not finding out that this could be done after throwing my last jointer in the bin about 5 years ago, as it was way more out of wack than your one was, and using it with the fence was out of the question. Thanks for the video, I can now check out my new jointer, and adjust it, now I know how.
Thank you for making this video. I followed the alignment process and installed a new CMT blade (my old blade was miss half the carbide teeth) and I finally love my biscuit jointer. It NEVER worked this well! I almost sold it years ago because I hated using it. Now I love it and this is my go to tool for aligning boards for table top glue ups.
Have owned the 'Elu' predecessor of this for about 25 years, used it a lot early on but it has been relegated as it wasn't that accurate. Watched your video thought I would dig mine out and check it - damn me it was nearly 0.4mm out! Having stripped cleaned and re-adjusted I suspect it will get more use now!! Never really thought about it before, thanks for taking the trouble to make the video!!
I was thinking about buying a Dewalt biscuit joiner. Your video was just what I needed. I hate it when tools aren't ajustable, a lot of them do well with some finetuning! I have a suggestion: Put the joiner on a really flat base, loosen the screws of the fence casting. Apply some downward pressure on both the joiner and the casting and then tighten the screws. That should do the trick. Greetings from Zeeland (Netherlands)
I agree with this method - I use a thick piece of glass or a marble slab, keeps it very true. I also use the glass or marble to stick fine sandpaper on to clean up / fine sharpen chisels or plane blades.
Great tips. I found that flipping the joiner over and placing it on my table saw top, using a couple clamps to hold both sides perfectly coplanar, helped before I locked the face place adjustment screws back down. It cuts perfectly now. I too am surprised so many leave the Dewalt factory in this condition.
Thank you for this video. Invaluable! Until I saw your video I had no idea there would be this problem to manage. I am researching the biscuit cutter in preparation to purchasing one. Manufacturers need to print a clear warning about this so that the user checks the setup before using the machine.
Very late to the party but thanks a lot for that video. I’ve just bought the jointer and was very unhappy with it and about to return it but now it works like a charm!
Just bought the same machine, after watching tour video I checked it to find that mine is also out of true. Your video has saved me a lot of wasted time and wood!! Many thanks.
Hi Andy. Bought this model of biscuit jointer this week and lo and behold, the base plate was off in exactly the same way as yours was. Using your example here I was easily able to sort it. A bit of a faff but only took five mins. Once again a really useful 'how to' video. Cheers fella!!
I have only used mine once since I bought it last year, and I only used it with the fence at 45° (miter joints), and those cuts were perfect. I just checked the base alignment, and it is quite a bit off all the way across. I will have to correct this once the temperature in my garage gets a bit more tolerable (it's -5°C outside right now, and the garage is not heated). Thanks a bunch for the tip, Andy. :)
Very nice that someone took the time to investigate the problem and solved it with an intelligent and logical answer. On a sidenote, for fine woodworking, I would stick with Makita - nice price to precision and quality ratio.
Just found this video. I could never work out quite why my biscuit joints never seemed quite aligned. Problem now solved. Thanks so much Gosforth Handyman. Btw, I also found that my machine didn't cut at 90 degrees and needed an adjustment to the stop on the fence. Dewalt should be mentioning these as settings to check before using the machine.
Thanks for the video. I modified your procedure slightly by loosening the two screws and then clamping the jointer base and fence to a machined flat surface. In this case my Saw Stop table. I then tightened the two screws. The alignment was perfect.
It's a common problem with Dewalt reviews too. What the manual really says is if it's off then the likely solution is to "fix" the alignment e.g. after a blade swap or after machine is run in. Of course it doesn't mean that they are all made like this, but simply that it's a solution if there is a problem. The best solution is to put a flat e.g. a spirit level or similar on the blade when it's extended and use this as a reference to the base of the unit for a perfect check/alignment. It's worth checking that the upper fence can be relied upon. If not then a spacer e.g. thin sheet of plywood, several sheets of sandpaper etc. can be used to raise the cut and so avoid using the upper fence if it's a problem. BTW, there is no need to clamp each joint if you have a bench hook to push against as sooner or later you will skip supporting the workpiece altogether. A piece of CLS on it's side in a workmate or screwed to the workbench is a good safety thing because it keeps fingers away from the "action".
I purchased one of the DEWALT Biscuit Jointers and was never happy with it so never used it. Now that I’ve seen your Video and going to go pull it out and check it. Thanks so much!
Great review. Your advice and instruction were right on. Just got the joiner and checked out of the box. It was off. It is despicable on the part of B&D that they don't QA for a known problem, and evidently from this video, not a rare problem. I have never seen this in a Bosch tool. But they dont make this tool :)
Excellent explanation - solved the same problem I've had with this tool since I bought it in 1996. The biscuit cuts were angled exactly the same as you show and it would screw with assembly of everything, especially boards for table tops. I would screw around widening the biscuit slot to get the biscuits to fit and then I lost all the "grabbing power" of the biscuit. I also got frustrated with the tool and used other fastening methods as you cite. It always irritated me owning a $200 paper weight. Your video provided the perfect fix and I got the biscuit slots dead level and the machine now works perfect - I owe you a pint and a big thank you!
Hi, just wanted to say what a great video, loads of people have probably thought "I know all that", but, Even as an accomplished woodworker, I still think rinse and repeat applies to everything. I watch these videos for insight and also to drill things in to my memory. Good job, I also use the Festool Domino, but sometimes a biscuit is a better solution, depending on the job. All the best, Phil
Thanks for this you've educated me! Had mine for a while and quickly realised there was a slight in accuracy but didn't know I could adjust it. Off to do it now :-). Thanks again 👍
Thank you for the video. I think you're the only video on youtube that talks about adjusting this issue. I have a cheapo biscuit jointer which is also off. I will see if it has a similar adjustment. Not good that DeWalt should be selling these out of true when you're paying a premium.
Easy to follow and practical. I'll be checking this out on my new makita. Make sure I don't give myself any more problems than I already have getting accurate joints!
Thanks for that! I have to say. This biscuit jointer is not worth the price with the given quality. I had to send mine back because the sliding mechanism was super wobbly.
Thanks. Liked and subscribed, from the other side of the Pennines. I’m only a weekend woodworker but I’m looking at a biscuit jointer for invisible jointing.
Bought one a year or so ago & now just unboxed it to find the same issue, absolutely disgusted to get a new tool supplied in this condition & no mention of the adjustment - thxs very much for your video helped me out tons :-) DeWalt you suck!!!
Good video, thank you. I wish I'd seen it before I bought (and used) my new Ryobi joiner. The cuts are also unlevel but there are no adjustment screws on it and it's driving me batty.
good video!!! And very true - shame on DeWalt! And that's not the only issue, the fence isn't precise as well - and you can't fix that problem... but to be honest, the Makita isn't much better and Triton or the cheaper biscuit jointers you can find in the www are much worse. The original Lamello tools and the Mafell are the only ones working fine - absolute precise no matter wether the plate or the fence is the reference, a pleasure to work with. They both are expensive... but at least now you know why pay that much money for them
I'm having this issue but it's worse off of the flip down fence, which doesn't seem to have an adjustment. My base is also significantly off like yours.
Thanks for the video. I have a question though - this whole adjustment is largely unnecessary if one sticks to the fence as a referncing point, no? Why didn't you use the fence then if you were unsatisfied with the base plate as a referencing point?
Continuo a non capire. Mi deve spiegare come 0,24mm possano incidere sulla qualità del lavoro che farà con il suo attrezzo. Sfido i migliori falegnami del mondo a non avere tolleranze di questo tipo in ogni loro realizzazione. Gli attrezzi DEWALT sono di alto livello. Buon lavoro e mi raccomando stia attento ai decimi di millimetro. 👍
Good video. I just bought one that had the same issue, i put a piece of plywood against the seam and put a little pressure on the nose to make them flat quick. Now i need to play with my depth adjustment, each setting is deeper than it should be.
Thank You so much for the video , I just bought this same tool ! But it is the second time to Watch , now I can level the base !! Because it came out of the box miss alined also ?! Go figure DeWalt
I know I am late to the party Andy but may I ask, if you had the choice all over again would it be a Dewalt or makita model ? I ask because the reviews for the Makita seem better. That said most of my work is mostly done with Dewalt gear.
Did my head in, when I got it I thought "This is a BRAND NEW Dewalt biscuit jointer - I MUST be doing something wrong!" - kinda glad it wasn't just me! :-)
You might want to watch "Wood Magazine's (comparison and flaw correction) What to Look for in a Biscuit Joiner." They had an additional suggestion to yours. Good Luck.
Interesting Video Andy. I'm thinking of a biscuit jointer but waiting for THE project where it is the only/best tool for the job. What is your opinion of the cheaper biscuit jointers. Apart from the "you get what you pay for" argument.
Gosforth Handyman that was my thought. I can't really justify £200+ for the DeWalt one for very occasional use. But I think if I follow your tips on making the blade square the 60-70 quid one should do the trick😀
Biscuit joints are massively underrated. They get a bad rap with people saying they are only for alignment. I use them in conjunction with Pocket screws and they are one of the most simple cheap tools to use. A domino for example is about £650 and a Mafell doweler is about £600 (both great tools) so the dewalt biscuit jointer is a bargain when compared. If you want strong joints there are biscuit joint connectors that are made out of metal and are extremely strong. The wood will break before the joint does. When making tables I use domino joints only because I make many of them. If I was doing the odd table I would just use Biscuits with pocket hole screws. Biscuits are amazing for cabinet making.
Andy, what's your take on not having a festool Domino ? as you have the DeWalt jointer... Is it just cost of the machine and the Dominos themselves plus the infrequent use ? Kindest Rgds Gaz
It's on my radar but I tend to only buy tools as I need them for a specific job and I've just not really needed one. Don't get me wrong it would make life a lot easier in a few scenarios but I'm very, very tight. 😂😀🛠
If you want to make strong structural joints that are more than just a straight edge glue joint then you use either a domino, tenon or dowel joint (other options as well). If for example you are making large furniture using natural wood you are going to want a larger structural joint. Alternative would be a screw joint so you could use that by the way with a biscuit joint.
i've often asked myself this question as a hobbiest, when can you safely get away with biscuits and glue, vs using pocket holes or counter sunk screws or like you say larger dominos or dowell joints. for someone who only does these things infrequently, its not always an easy decision to know what to do. I want to make a bench seat (bit like a hallway shoe storage carcass with seat on top to change shoes etc, but will biscuits and glue be enough for the carcass (18mm mrmdf) or does that really need to be domino or screws to make sure a larger person such as myself doesn't crush the poor thing ;-)
This was great, and I'm going to use this method of truing tomorrow. Does anyone know if there is a better blade, that the stock one used? I'm not complaining, was just curious, thank you!
I just changed to a DeWalt blade with higher tooth count. 12 I think. I would say the original supplied blade is better. The 12 tooth tries to ride along when doing cuts in end grain.
Great video Dropped my Elu version of this model poor results ever since now I know what to do Although replaced it with the Lamelo Classic still prefer the Elu
"What! Shame on you DeWalt, send us some free tools and all will be forgiven" good luck with that one, buddy 👍 😂😂 Bwahahhahahahaha😂😂 Good job you found the problem and fixed it, though. Nothing worse than having spent a couple hundred bucks on a tool that's not accurate and just sits in a cupboard...
Brilliant, ive just done this and sorted it, thank you. However not as exact as id like if i use the fence to reference from - any suggestions?. (From the base now fine.) 😀
Thanks Andy. I've just shimmed the fence with a couple of small stickers to build up 0.2mm on the fence and it's now true. It's fascinating to know we can detect just a molecular size difference in surface irregularity (from watching QI) www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/09/130916110853.htm So if it feels straight it is straight
@@itwillbenicewhenitsfinished I made the same adjustment to the base and found the same problem with the fence. Could you show, or tell, how you shimmed that fence?
Well, good on ya doing DeWalt's job for them. I am aware its always good to do a tune up out of the factory on a tool....but mine is waaaay worse than this. Stupid.
I just purchased one of these & there is significant movement between the while fence assembly & motor body. It moves about 1mm to 2mm and if i push the blade forward and move the fence unit about i can see the blade moving a couple of mm within the blade opening, Does anyone else have this amount of movement between the body & fence assembly ? Or have i got duff unit & need to return it before i even used it :( i will need to pop in my local tool shop & see if they have one of these & see if it has the same amount of movement as my unit.
thank you for sharing the knowledge. quick question? do you know if there is a dust extraction adapter for this biscuit joiner? I got a hand me down and mine did not come with a dust bag or connector.
I have a slightly different prob. If I reference off the flip down fence my slots are skewed to a difference of0.5mm. So my fence is on the wonk. There's a bit of play in the rack and pinion when raising or lowering the fence. I can get over it by cranking the fence opposite to the error before tightening. Not good.
good to know i probably need to adjust the bottomplate once i got the machine planning on buying a Powerplus POWX1310 wish resembles the dewalt as soon as my paycheck comes in the powerplus just has the extra fence adjustment thing to cut intoo angle cuts with the fence straddling over the edge , wood magazine showed that in a comparison video , it made me change my mind on wish one to buy the only thing i need to change is the coverplate for the saw so i can reference of it image.coolblue.nl/max/500x500/products/668590 (on the powerplus its not straight along the sides ) , i think it shouldnt be to hard to make that from steel or aluminium plate
Blizzard really, you start off by slagging people for not using the jointer correctly then proceed to use the base plate as a reference, clearly not correct. I have the same machine. Use the the fence as a reference as per the instructions. If you had read the instructions in the first place you would know how to use it. No offence just pointing out the obvious.
Non si capisce quello che vuole fare. Litiga con una piastra e una lama che erano montate perfettamente ed esegue calcoli matematici all’ennesima potenza Per fare una fresata in un cubetto di MDF. Dieci minuti del mio tempo inutilmente persi. 😕
I feel rather stupid about not finding out that this could be done after throwing my last jointer in the bin about 5 years ago, as it was way more out of wack than your one was, and using it with the fence was out of the question. Thanks for the video, I can now check out my new jointer, and adjust it, now I know how.
Thank you for making this video. I followed the alignment process and installed a new CMT blade (my old blade was miss half the carbide teeth) and I finally love my biscuit jointer. It NEVER worked this well! I almost sold it years ago because I hated using it. Now I love it and this is my go to tool for aligning boards for table top glue ups.
Have owned the 'Elu' predecessor of this for about 25 years, used it a lot early on but it has been relegated as it wasn't that accurate. Watched your video thought I would dig mine out and check it - damn me it was nearly 0.4mm out! Having stripped cleaned and re-adjusted I suspect it will get more use now!! Never really thought about it before, thanks for taking the trouble to make the video!!
I was thinking about buying a Dewalt biscuit joiner. Your video was just what I needed.
I hate it when tools aren't ajustable, a lot of them do well with some finetuning!
I have a suggestion: Put the joiner on a really flat base, loosen the screws of the fence casting. Apply some downward pressure on both the joiner and the casting and then tighten the screws. That should do the trick.
Greetings from Zeeland (Netherlands)
I agree with this method - I use a thick piece of glass or a marble slab, keeps it very true. I also use the glass or marble to stick fine sandpaper on to clean up / fine sharpen chisels or plane blades.
thanks for the tip
Great tips. I found that flipping the joiner over and placing it on my table saw top, using a couple clamps to hold both sides perfectly coplanar, helped before I locked the face place adjustment screws back down. It cuts perfectly now. I too am surprised so many leave the Dewalt factory in this condition.
Thank you for this video. Invaluable! Until I saw your video I had no idea there would be this problem to manage. I am researching the biscuit cutter in preparation to purchasing one. Manufacturers need to print a clear warning about this so that the user checks the setup before using the machine.
Very late to the party but thanks a lot for that video. I’ve just bought the jointer and was very unhappy with it and about to return it but now it works like a charm!
Just bought the same machine, after watching tour video I checked it to find that mine is also out of true. Your video has saved me a lot of wasted time and wood!! Many thanks.
👍🛠
Hi Andy. Bought this model of biscuit jointer this week and lo and behold, the base plate was off in exactly the same way as yours was. Using your example here I was easily able to sort it. A bit of a faff but only took five mins. Once again a really useful 'how to' video. Cheers fella!!
I have only used mine once since I bought it last year, and I only used it with the fence at 45° (miter joints), and those cuts were perfect.
I just checked the base alignment, and it is quite a bit off all the way across. I will have to correct this once the temperature in my garage gets a bit more tolerable (it's -5°C outside right now, and the garage is not heated).
Thanks a bunch for the tip, Andy. :)
Very nice that someone took the time to investigate the problem and solved it with an intelligent and logical answer. On a sidenote, for fine woodworking, I would stick with Makita - nice price to precision and quality ratio.
Just found this video. I could never work out quite why my biscuit joints never seemed quite aligned. Problem now solved. Thanks so much Gosforth Handyman. Btw, I also found that my machine didn't cut at 90 degrees and needed an adjustment to the stop on the fence. Dewalt should be mentioning these as settings to check before using the machine.
Have this tool and never used it because of the inaccuracy. Thanks so much for your clear instructions and will get back to it!
Thanks for the video. I modified your procedure slightly by loosening the two screws and then clamping the jointer base and fence to a machined flat surface. In this case my Saw Stop table. I then tightened the two screws. The alignment was perfect.
It's a common problem with Dewalt reviews too. What the manual really says is if it's off then the likely solution is to "fix" the alignment e.g. after a blade swap or after machine is run in. Of course it doesn't mean that they are all made like this, but simply that it's a solution if there is a problem. The best solution is to put a flat e.g. a spirit level or similar on the blade when it's extended and use this as a reference to the base of the unit for a perfect check/alignment. It's worth checking that the upper fence can be relied upon. If not then a spacer e.g. thin sheet of plywood, several sheets of sandpaper etc. can be used to raise the cut and so avoid using the upper fence if it's a problem. BTW, there is no need to clamp each joint if you have a bench hook to push against as sooner or later you will skip supporting the workpiece altogether. A piece of CLS on it's side in a workmate or screwed to the workbench is a good safety thing because it keeps fingers away from the "action".
I purchased one of the DEWALT Biscuit Jointers and was never happy with it so never used it. Now that I’ve seen your Video and going to go pull it out and check it. Thanks so much!
I've been having the same problem with mine for the last 3-4 yrs. I'm definitely going to give it this tune up ! Thanks for the head's up ! Cheers !
Great review. Your advice and instruction were right on. Just got the joiner and checked out of the box. It was off. It is despicable on the part of B&D that they don't QA for a known problem, and evidently from this video, not a rare problem. I have never seen this in a Bosch tool. But they dont make this tool :)
Got a used one from a pawn shop today for $96 so now I know how to set it up. Thank you.
Excellent explanation - solved the same problem I've had with this tool since I bought it in 1996. The biscuit cuts were angled exactly the same as you show and it would screw with assembly of everything, especially boards for table tops. I would screw around widening the biscuit slot to get the biscuits to fit and then I lost all the "grabbing power" of the biscuit. I also got frustrated with the tool and used other fastening methods as you cite. It always irritated me owning a $200 paper weight. Your video provided the perfect fix and I got the biscuit slots dead level and the machine now works perfect - I owe you a pint and a big thank you!
Hi, just wanted to say what a great video, loads of people have probably thought "I know all that", but, Even as an accomplished woodworker, I still think rinse and repeat applies to everything. I watch these videos for insight and also to drill things in to my memory. Good job, I also use the Festool Domino, but sometimes a biscuit is a better solution, depending on the job. All the best, Phil
I gave up using mine for the same reason but I never thought of using the DeWalt site for technical help, good tip, thanks.
Mine's spot on now! Bad crack that it was shipped like that but it's a great tool otherwise. 👍
Thanks for this you've educated me! Had mine for a while and quickly realised there was a slight in accuracy but didn't know I could adjust it. Off to do it now :-). Thanks again 👍
Thank you so much, I had the same problem with mine, but i have had it for 25 years. And no mention in the manual. Now I'm good to go.
Wow! very useful video! I was in doubt about buying a DeWalt because of this issue. Now I know that is really easy to solve, thank you so much!
Great biscuiter now it's sorted. 👍👍
Most all tools need some fettling. Glad you have a usable biscuit jointer now. Great video!
Thank you for the video. I think you're the only video on youtube that talks about adjusting this issue. I have a cheapo biscuit jointer which is also off. I will see if it has a similar adjustment. Not good that DeWalt should be selling these out of true when you're paying a premium.
Finally! A useful video on accurate biscuit joints 👍
Easy to follow and practical. I'll be checking this out on my new makita. Make sure I don't give myself any more problems than I already have getting accurate joints!
Excitingly the makita has a single piece base. No correcting possible and hopefully therefore not required.
Thanks for that! I have to say. This biscuit jointer is not worth the price with the given quality. I had to send mine back because the sliding mechanism was super wobbly.
Thank you for this! Just what I needed!
I'm in the market for this jointer so really great insight! It will be the first thing I check! Great video as always!
Thank you for shining some light on this problem!
Thanks. Liked and subscribed, from the other side of the Pennines. I’m only a weekend woodworker but I’m looking at a biscuit jointer for invisible jointing.
Bought one a year or so ago & now just unboxed it to find the same issue, absolutely disgusted to get a new tool supplied in this condition & no mention of the adjustment - thxs very much for your video helped me out tons :-) DeWalt you suck!!!
Thanks for posting this, I didn't know about what you have shown.
thanks to you, i look my biscuit joiner Dewalt from another eye !!!! thanks for this tips
No worries! 👍🛠
I just bought this tool and it was on the piss, thanks for this video.
THANK YOU! This is just what I was looking for.
Great tip, although I haven't experienced (or noticed !!!) this problem, going to get the vernier out and adjust if necessary
Good video, thank you. I wish I'd seen it before I bought (and used) my new Ryobi joiner. The cuts are also unlevel but there are no adjustment screws on it and it's driving me batty.
Cheers Scott! Yeah, if the cuts aren't level it's really unusable as it throws everything out. Hope you get sorted!
good video!!! And very true - shame on DeWalt! And that's not the only issue, the fence isn't precise as well - and you can't fix that problem... but to be honest, the Makita isn't much better and Triton or the cheaper biscuit jointers you can find in the www are much worse. The original Lamello tools and the Mafell are the only ones working fine - absolute precise no matter wether the plate or the fence is the reference, a pleasure to work with. They both are expensive... but at least now you know why pay that much money for them
I'm having this issue but it's worse off of the flip down fence, which doesn't seem to have an adjustment. My base is also significantly off like yours.
Thanks for the video. I have a question though - this whole adjustment is largely unnecessary if one sticks to the fence as a referncing point, no? Why didn't you use the fence then if you were unsatisfied with the base plate as a referencing point?
Thank you. I will be checking my biscuit jointer for accuracy!
thank you!! had same issue and had given up on using mine until seeing this
I always thought it was me doing something wrong. definitely going to check this out.
Continuo a non capire. Mi deve spiegare come 0,24mm possano incidere sulla qualità del lavoro che farà con il suo attrezzo.
Sfido i migliori falegnami del mondo a non avere tolleranze di questo tipo in ogni loro realizzazione. Gli attrezzi DEWALT sono di alto livello.
Buon lavoro e mi raccomando stia attento ai decimi di millimetro. 👍
Thanks for the great video and useful information!
Good video. I just bought one that had the same issue, i put a piece of plywood against the seam and put a little pressure on the nose to make them flat quick.
Now i need to play with my depth adjustment, each setting is deeper than it should be.
Thanks, filled the swear box up this afternoon because of this. Couldn’t see how to level it off.
at 7:10 - just the two screws on the front?
Great video you make it enjoyable to watch
You can put the top plate down for more stability and hold it with your thumb in case you didn't know.
Thank You so much for the video , I just bought this same tool ! But it is the second time to Watch , now I can level the base !! Because it came out of the box miss alined also ?! Go figure DeWalt
Excellent video. Thank you!
I know I am late to the party Andy but may I ask, if you had the choice all over again would it be a Dewalt or makita model ? I ask because the reviews for the Makita seem better. That said most of my work is mostly done with Dewalt gear.
Excellent video, what are the spring loaded screws next to the screws you adjusted
Very useful video as i have just bought my biscuit jointer and i can tune mine too, if needed
Good, clear explanation.
I had the same problem... I thought I was crazy till I figured it out.
Did my head in, when I got it I thought "This is a BRAND NEW Dewalt biscuit jointer - I MUST be doing something wrong!" - kinda glad it wasn't just me! :-)
interesting - so do you use this method more than say dowels? do biscuits really add strength you think?
You might want to watch "Wood Magazine's (comparison and flaw correction) What to Look for in a Biscuit Joiner." They had an additional suggestion to yours. Good Luck.
Will check it out - was it anything to do with the fan blower going straight in your face?
Interesting Video Andy. I'm thinking of a biscuit jointer but waiting for THE project where it is the only/best tool for the job. What is your opinion of the cheaper biscuit jointers. Apart from the "you get what you pay for" argument.
I must admit I haven't used any of the cheaper biscuit jointers so couldn't really comment. I would imagine they'd be fine for occasional use. 👍
Gosforth Handyman that was my thought. I can't really justify £200+ for the DeWalt one for very occasional use. But I think if I follow your tips on making the blade square the 60-70 quid one should do the trick😀
Should do - report back and let us know how you get on!
Gosforth Handyman will do. 😁
Biscuit joints are massively underrated. They get a bad rap with people saying they are only for alignment.
I use them in conjunction with Pocket screws and they are one of the most simple cheap tools to use.
A domino for example is about £650 and a Mafell doweler is about £600 (both great tools) so the dewalt biscuit jointer is a bargain when compared.
If you want strong joints there are biscuit joint connectors that are made out of metal and are extremely strong. The wood will break before the joint does. When making tables I use domino joints only because I make many of them. If I was doing the odd table I would just use Biscuits with pocket hole screws.
Biscuits are amazing for cabinet making.
Awesome thanks for sharing very helpful
Thank you. It was very helpful. Consider me a new subscriber.
Welcome to the channel John! 👍🛠
Andy, what's your take on not having a festool Domino ?
as you have the DeWalt jointer...
Is it just cost of the machine and the Dominos themselves plus the infrequent use ?
Kindest Rgds
Gaz
It's on my radar but I tend to only buy tools as I need them for a specific job and I've just not really needed one. Don't get me wrong it would make life a lot easier in a few scenarios but I'm very, very tight. 😂😀🛠
If you want to make strong structural joints that are more than just a straight edge glue joint then you use either a domino, tenon or dowel joint (other options as well).
If for example you are making large furniture using natural wood you are going to want a larger structural joint.
Alternative would be a screw joint so you could use that by the way with a biscuit joint.
i've often asked myself this question as a hobbiest, when can you safely get away with biscuits and glue, vs using pocket holes or counter sunk screws or like you say larger dominos or dowell joints. for someone who only does these things infrequently, its not always an easy decision to know what to do. I want to make a bench seat (bit like a hallway shoe storage carcass with seat on top to change shoes etc, but will biscuits and glue be enough for the carcass (18mm mrmdf) or does that really need to be domino or screws to make sure a larger person such as myself doesn't crush the poor thing ;-)
This was great, and I'm going to use this method of truing tomorrow. Does anyone know if there is a better blade, that the stock one used? I'm not complaining, was just curious, thank you!
I would say probably not. The blade in them is very good to start with.
I just changed to a DeWalt blade with higher tooth count. 12 I think. I would say the original supplied blade is better. The 12 tooth tries to ride along when doing cuts in end grain.
thanks for the video tip. Awesome!
Cheers Larry! 👍
Excellent. Thank you.
No worries! 👍
Great video Dropped my Elu version of this model poor results ever since now I know what to do
Although replaced it with the Lamelo Classic still prefer the Elu
Lamello are amazing and I would say their overall system approach is on par with Festool domino.
I'm still in love with my elu biscuit jointer and I can't justify the money for a domino well my bird say no🤣😭
There is always play between the biscuit slot and the biscuit itself giving you some play.
Excelente tips, thanks for sharing
"Unless I'm missing something"😀… I don't understand why you had to take out the blades if all you had to do is readjust the front plates...
"What! Shame on you DeWalt, send us some free tools and all will be forgiven" good luck with that one, buddy 👍
😂😂 Bwahahhahahahaha😂😂
Good job you found the problem and fixed it, though. Nothing worse than having spent a couple hundred bucks on a tool that's not accurate and just sits in a cupboard...
I know - still no free stuff from DeWalt. 😂
Brilliant, ive just done this and sorted it, thank you. However not as exact as id like if i use the fence to reference from - any suggestions?. (From the base now fine.) 😀
I can't remember if you can adjust the fence alignment - I almost always go off the base. I'll check when I next have it out. 👍
Thanks Andy. I've just shimmed the fence with a couple of small stickers to build up 0.2mm on the fence and it's now true. It's fascinating to know we can detect just a molecular size difference in surface irregularity (from watching QI) www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/09/130916110853.htm
So if it feels straight it is straight
@@itwillbenicewhenitsfinished I made the same adjustment to the base and found the same problem with the fence. Could you show, or tell, how you shimmed that fence?
the best thing is the steve vai track in background hehe
Ha - well spotted! 👍
seriously , very helpful clip!
you made my day
Thank you!
just picked one up used mint Condition
seems Noisy - like loose ball rattling
Well, good on ya doing DeWalt's job for them. I am aware its always good to do a tune up out of the factory on a tool....but mine is waaaay worse than this. Stupid.
I just purchased one of these & there is significant movement between the while fence assembly & motor body. It moves about 1mm to 2mm and if i push the blade forward and move the fence unit about i can see the blade moving a couple of mm within the blade opening,
Does anyone else have this amount of movement between the body & fence assembly ? Or have i got duff unit & need to return it before i even used it :( i will need to pop in my local tool shop & see if they have one of these & see if it has the same amount of movement as my unit.
thank you for sharing the knowledge. quick question? do you know if there is a dust extraction adapter for this biscuit joiner? I got a hand me down and mine did not come with a dust bag or connector.
It's a bespoke square clip thing - sure you'd be able to get one after-market from Dewalt or possibly eBay?
great video mate as usual, found the music off putting though
I have a slightly different prob. If I reference off the flip down fence my slots are skewed to a difference of0.5mm. So my fence is on the wonk. There's a bit of play in the rack and pinion when raising or lowering the fence. I can get over it by cranking the fence opposite to the error before tightening. Not good.
good to know i probably need to adjust the bottomplate once i got the machine
planning on buying a Powerplus POWX1310 wish resembles the dewalt as soon as my paycheck comes in
the powerplus just has the extra fence adjustment thing to cut intoo angle cuts with the fence straddling over the edge , wood magazine showed that in a comparison video , it made me change my mind on wish one to buy
the only thing i need to change is the coverplate for the saw so i can reference of it
image.coolblue.nl/max/500x500/products/668590
(on the powerplus its not straight along the sides ) , i think it shouldnt be to hard to make that from steel or aluminium plate
👍🏿
Blizzard really, you start off by slagging people for not using the jointer correctly then proceed to use the base plate as a reference, clearly not correct. I have the same machine. Use the the fence as a reference as per the instructions. If you had read the instructions in the first place you would know how to use it. No offence just pointing out the obvious.
What?? You can reference off the baseplate OR the fence.
Non si capisce quello che vuole fare. Litiga con una piastra e una lama che erano montate perfettamente ed esegue calcoli matematici all’ennesima potenza Per fare una fresata in un cubetto di MDF. Dieci minuti del mio tempo inutilmente persi. 😕
I think you've failed to understand what this video is about. 👍
Very helpful video. Thank you.